Blessed are the Flexible...

This card is on its way right now to my mother. I am so proud of her for going back to school to become a nurse! She is working so hard as always and is an amazing person.... I am so grateful for her.

Here is the inside:

It's a little hard to read, but it says, (going along with the Bonsai theme...) "Blessed are the Flexible, for they shall never be bent out of shape."

Sometimes we all just need a little reminder... ;)

As it so happens, although I made this card with no challenges in mind, this week as I'm preparing to send it it does happen to go along with a few. Maybe I was catching brain-waves from all the lovely DT folks... Anyway, here they are:

Arty Girlz Butterflies

Dutch Dare Green and Yellow (OK, so we've got some other colors in there too...)
Stamp Something 3-D Somethings
Flutterby Wednesday Orange and Yellow

Papers are from My Mind's Eye and Boho Chic Fancy Free.

Thanks for looking...unless you happen to be Mom...in that case...don't look...just watch the mail! ;)

Smiles and wishes for a bright and happy day,

--Kathryn

Kreativ Blogger Award!

I received this last week from Amy at Scrapping Mommy! Her blog and work are just lovely!
Thanks Amy! :)

I have to write seven things I love and then pass it on... so, while you could just see some of the things I love on my profile...here goes:

1. I love this beautiful world and life God has given us, His truth, His words, His daily blessings that overcome all those petty little cares...
2. I love love love my wonderful husband Matt and my family, all of whom are my best friends.
3. Sunrises, wind, clouds, stars, fresh green Carolina grass, mountains, azaleas, the sea just before a storm...
4. The amazing women I am able to serve with in the Young Womens' presidency for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and all our beautiful Young Women whom we love so much!
5. Writing and reading
6. Music--piano, part-singing, hymns, Celtic, world music...doing housework to Enya and Jethro Tull
7. And, of course crafting! ;)

I could go on and on.

Now for passing it on!!!

1. Anita at Stamping Mama of 2
2. Shanna at My Next Thirty Years
3. Michelle at Sunny Side Up
4. Lisa at Bits and Pieces
5. Stephanie at Where'd All my Money Go?
6. Tanya at Nap Time Stamper

5 Challenges in ONE!

I'm in a great mood this Valentine's...so much so that, since I've already made my sweetheart's valentine's day card...I just made an anniversary card!

It's also a record 5 challenges in one!

They are:

1. Sketch and Stash sketch #3

2. Stamp Something "for your Valentine" (the stamps used are both new stash!)

3. Dutch Dare #34 Love theme with NO red or pink

4. Cute Card Thursday "Metallica"

5. Our Creative Corner "Crazy for Hearts" (use 2 or more)

Materials I used:

Stampabilities "Le London" script

Inkadinkado 90336 (Michael's Clearance!)

The Paper Studio cream script

Making Memories Funky Vintage "Lizzie" collection, Berry paper

Making Memories Neutral chipboard shapes (Target clearance!)

I can honestly say that this card was such an especial joy to make, as I thought about so many courtship memories my husband and I share. How wonderful is life and love and family!

Have a lovely day,

--Kathryn

Papertake "Hearts and Flowers", Arty Girlz "Red & White", and OCC "Hearts"

...and the inside...

I actually used the Friday Sketchers layout from last week, but was late posting it! Oh, well. Great layout anyway...

This card does incorporate 3 other challenges. They are:

Papertake "Hearts and Flowers"

Our Creative Corner "Use 2 or More Hearts"

Arty Girlz "Red and White"

For this card I used:

Colorbok Red Patterned Hearts paper

The Paper Studio XOXO

Burgundy cardstock

MiniMarks rub-on from American Crafts ($2 at BigLots for the entire book...usually $8 or so!)

Clearly Wordsworth stamp set VO13 Love from...yep, Hobby Lobby clearance... $3, unbeatable!

I added the red-dot swirls this morning on a whim and love them! My crafting philosophy...you'll never know till you try. What's the worst thing that could happen? You'll learn better what you do and don't like. Audaces fortuna iuvat!

This card is for my husband for Valentine's day. He spied it last night and started playing with the leftover scraps all on his own to make a "card" for me (he never put it together...just showed it to me ;). What a guy!

Have a great day,

--Kathryn

DCM Challenge: Oriental Splendor!

HOORAY!!! The DCM Challenge this week is a simply a joy! Oriental images are so versatile to communicate anything from good luck to birthday to wedding or you-name-it. It's all in the way you treat the image or layout. I also enjoy working with them because it reminds me of all my Japanese friends and teachers in the music world.

Interestingly, I very infrequently use red and black as theme colors in my own oriental card. Hope this one doesn't get disqualified for the black chop stamp.

The patterned paper is from a Marcella stack (gorgeous!) that I found at Big Lots for $5. Talk about a find!

Stamps are Rubber Stampede "Cherry Blossoms" (have had my eye on this one for awhile! Finally it went 40% off at JoAnns and mwa-haha...it's mine!!!) and Penny Black "Good Luck" chop. Personally, though, I think the card could mean anything you want it to, as long as you're not sending it to someone who speaks Mandarin... ;)

Again the butterfly is from that fabulous Colorbok stack.

I had great fun putting together this card and my husband even helped me decide on where to place the insect and the chop. Good eye, huh?

Thanks for a super theme this week and all the great creations from the lovely ladies at DCM!

Happy crafting all,

--Kathryn

DCM "Prints Charming"

The DCM challenge this week was to use 3 different patterned papers; if possible from different companies. I already had out the Mind's Eye Brown Floral paper and WeR Memory Keepers Boho Chic Whimsy Wild from the last card I made this morning... but the third paper was hard to decide on. I finally found a strip of paper (origin: scrap drawer...can't tell much more than that!) with colored sentiments all over it, so I cut this one out and Voila!

Since patterned papers are perhaps my favorite items in the craft arsenal...(is it sad that when I don't feel well I like looking through my paper to cheer up?!), I just couldn't pass this one up...so I also decided to try making the layout work without any images, for extra challenge.

As always, I love to leave some paper showing--not only for its own beauty but also because it feels like I'm getting a little extra 'bang for my buck', if you know what I mean...even on sale 8/$1.00 it's still nice to get as much out of each sheet as you can! :)

Have a happy afternoon,

--Kathryn

Kazan's Sketch #19

I haven't participated in a challenge for awhile, but this sketch was just too good to pass up. Thanks Kazan! There are so many possibilities that come to mind but, since these were the first papers to hand...

They are:

My Mind's Eye, Brown Floral

We R Memory Keepers 2-sided cardstock, Boho Chic Whimsy Wild from the Urban Window Collection

The Butterfly is from a big Colorbok stack that was on clearance at Michaels.

The stamp is from Hampton Art (clear expressions set). Knowing me, you can guess which aisle I found it on ;).

Thanks for looking and happy crafting all!

--Kathryn